In this post-acute phase of the pandemic, despite the return to more conventional market dynamics being conditioned by considerable international instability, the manufacturing market is ready to face new challenges, as emerged from a recent study focusing on the way businesses are transitioning to digitalisation.

Key themes will be to continue to develop smart factory initiatives to achieve targeted business objectives and to use digital technology to increase supply chain visibility and productivity.

Spending on artificial intelligence-enhanced supply chain management solutions will increase this year as manufacturers increasingly seek a balance between inventory costs and risks.

Prevailing is just-in-time, with the associated optimisation of inventory costs, virtuous resource management and reduction of waste, complemented by a moderate adherence to the just-in-case model with a low share of inventory. Of great support in this challenge to efficient processes is automation, which